Characteristics of the composite platinum-carbon electrode containing carbon nanofibres

This article describes the study of the electrochemical characteristics of the electrode material of the oxygen-hydrogen fuel cell, containing carbon nanofibers (CNF) as a functional additive in the oxygen reduction reaction. The data on the attestation of the researched materials (using the methods of the scanning and transmission electron microscopy, EDX, cyclic and direct voltammetry on a disk stationary and rotating electrode) have been given. It has been shown that in the presence of the oxygen-modified CNF the material has a higher electrode activity, a higher half-wave potential for electroreduction of oxygen (610 and 500 mV in the presence and absence of CNF respectively), demonstrates a 2-time-higher density of the kinetic current of oxygen reduction and has a 2.5-time-higher density of the exchange current in the oxygen reaction. This can be explained by the effect of the oxygen-modified CNF on the surface oxide (PtO) ratio of platinum particles: in the presence of CNF the PtO share is smaller.